- Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey uses modern English dialogue based on Homer's epic
- Nolan aimed for emotional language over intellectual meaning in the film's dialogue
- The film stars a star-studded cast including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Tom Holland
Christopher Nolan's magnum opus, The Odyssey, based on Homer's ancient Greek epic dating to around the 8th or 7th century BC, uses modern English dialogue. The creative decision sparked an intense conversation on social media ahead of its release. Defending his creative liberty, Nolan said he wanted to prioritize "emotional" language over intellectual language.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, he said he wanted to prioritise "language that has emotional, not intellectual, meaning to people."
"I was maybe being naive; it might bite me on the a**, but I wanted an earthy narrative. To me it was a no-brainer," Nolan said.
Nolan also said that casting a star-studded ensemble—from Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway to Tom Holland, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, and Jon Bernthal—was an easy choice for him. The director noted that his characters "are mythological figures, iconic in some ways."
"I wanted to cast it big, get the finest bunch of actors," he added, so that the familiar faces would make the audience feel at home.
Nolan also defended the casting of rapper Travis Scott as a bard, whose appearance in an early trailer raised eyebrows. He said, "I cast him because I wanted to nod toward the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap."
Christopher Nolan has written and directed the film and is producing it alongside Emma Thomas. The project is backed by Universal. The Odyssey was shot using new IMAX technology and is the first feature ever made entirely using IMAX's largest film format. The movie is set to release on July 17, 2026.
